Other Grandeur Travelers.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Ladurée in New York: French Macaron Indulgence + Kyotofu

There's always an excuse for sweet indulgence once in a while. We sauntered the more upscale streets of Manhattan, looking for a shop that sold one of my favorite things to eat in the world: Macarons but not just ordinary macarons - Laduree macarons.

Macaron lovers and Upper East Side residents got a sugar high last year whenLadureeopened its first store in the USA. Laduree has always been the king of French Macarons, no doubt. FYI, Laduree is not just a pastry shop. It has been an institution since its 1862 opening in Paris. It then seemed natural for the macaron maison to bring them to New York City. (Pierre Herme has reinvented the taste of these exquisite treats though. They are bolder and more experimental. Green asparagus, anyone?).

On its opening day, the lines were mad and that continued for days. Suddenly, Madison Avenue was the mecca for macaron fans. Laduree in New York seemed fitting.

Since Laduree does not have a lab yet in the Big Apple (They might open one in Spring 2012), the macarons are flown in almost every other day from Paris. For a classic French experience, they plan to have a tea room in their future Meatpacking district store.

These Macarons are a bit on the pricey side but for a French pastry experience, they are definitely worth your money ($2.75/piece. I got two boxes for $50). To avoid disappointment, however, the key here is to find your favorite flavors. As soon as you do, I assure you that you can finish a dozen in one sitting until you become delirious. My favorites are the coconut and salted caramel. Both were absolute perfection! As soon as you bite into the macarons, the creamy flavor just explodes in your moth.

The experience starts with the packaging itself.

A good macaron should be: Crispy outisde, creamy inside, and it is as light as a feather.

This was the seasonal macaron they had: Cherry Blossom. I did not quite like the after taste.

I am sure I'll be buying more of these divine macarons when I visit another country (Paris of course or London) that has Laduree. My addiction is even translated in my dreams. I have not tried Pierre Herme macarons but I know I'll get my hands on these treats soon.

When I get home, Bizu's macarons don't exactly compare but they will probably suffice. If you have tried them, please share your thoughts.

KYOTOFU

For another fill of desserts in NY, try Kyotofu, a modern Japanese dessert place that has received numerous awards (That includes NY's best cupcakes and more. Click here to find out).

Zagat says: Proving that the "lowly soybean" can be truly delicious, this unusual Hell's Kitchen Japanese dispenses "wonderful desserts" and fantastic soft-serve", all made from tofu; the"candlelit" setting and seductive sakes conjure up romance with a touch of Zen". I could not agree more.

This place proved to be a worthwhile find in this metropolis.

Vanilla Sweet Tofu. Loved the texture of the tofu. This reminded me of our local "taho".

We also got a sampler of desserts. Each one of them has a taken a unique twist with tofu.